U.S. patient has been injected with cells derived from embryonic stem cells

This is the first news that a patient was accepted in Geron's FDA approved clinical trial which hopes to put cells created from human embryonic stem cells into patients with recent spinal cord injuries. Most of the articles like this one just provide information from Geron's press release.

Geron Corporation (Nasdaq: GERN) today announced the enrollment of the first patient in the company's clinical trial of human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-derived oligodendrocyte progenitor cells, GRNOPC1. The primary objective of this Phase I study is to assess the safety and tolerability of GRNOPC1 in patients with complete American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) Impairment Scale grade A thoracic spinal cord injuries. Participants in the study must be newly injured and receive GRNOPC1 within 14 days of the injury.

The patient was enrolled at Shepherd Center, a 132-bed spinal cord and brain injury rehabilitation hospital and clinical research center in Atlanta, GA. Shepherd Center is one of seven potential sites in the United States that may enroll patients in the clinical trial.